Muslim Desserts
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Ghraybeh Biscuits - Arabian Biscuits
Ingredients
1/2 cup cake flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup semolina flour
1 cup clarified butter
2/3 cup confectioners' sugar
3/4 teaspoon orange flower water
30 blanched almonds
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C).
2. Sift together the cake flour, all-purpose flour, and semolina and set aside.
Beat the butter for at least 10 minutes until it is fluffy. Then beat 2 more minutes while sprinkling in the blossom water and confectioners' sugar. Fold in the flour mixture gradually. Then refrigerate the soft dough in covered bowl for about 10 minutes.
3. On a lightly floured surface, roll or pat the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness, and cut into 1 inch sided diamonds and place them 1/2 inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Then place an almond in the centre of each biscuit.
4. Bake 35 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven. Do not over bake. Let the biscuits cool for at least an hour. The are best served after they have cooled for several hours.
Halva - Pakistani Pudding
Ingredients
2 tablespoons Semolina
2 tablespoons oil
4 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup water
seeds of 3 small Cardamoms
Directions
1. Put the Semolina and oil in a pot alongwith the Cardamom seeds and fry on very low heat until slightly brown.
2. Combine sugar and water to make a syrup.
3. Add this to the Semolina mixture taking care not to burn yourself and cook on low heat to desired thick consistency.
4. Serve warm.
Sawaiyyan - Sweet Pakistani Vermicili
Ingredients
100 grams thin Vermicili noodles (Sawaiyan)
4 tbs oil
3-4 small green Cardamoms
1 cup condensed milk
½ cup sugar
3-4 cups of whole milk, diluted with 1-2 cups of water.
raisins (optional - according to taste)
Garnishing
Finely chopped cashewnuts or Pistachios (optional)
Directions
1. In a pan add the oil and seeds of 3 cardomom.
2. Add the vermicilli noodles and roast them on very low flame till their colour changes to a darker brown shade. Stir constantly.
3. Take a open pan and add the milk to it. Add the vermicilli to the milk and boil on a medium fire until the vermicilli is completely done.
4. Add the condensed milk, sugar, raisins and the nuts and stir till the sugar is dissolved and the mixture thickens.
5. Add the rasins. Cover and let cook for 5-6 minutes till the milk has dried and the vermicilli noodles have become tender. Remove from heat.
6. Garnish with cashewnuts or Pistachios and serve either plain or with fresh cream. Can be served both hot and cold.
Ongol-Ongol - Indonesia
Ingredients
3 oz Corn starch
6 oz Palm Sugar
1/2 a Vanilla stick or Vanilla essence
2 Cups of water
pinch of Salt
6 oz grated fresh Coconut
Directions
1. Use some of the cold water to make a thin paste with the corn starch. Add the sugar, vanilla and salt to the water and boil until sugar is dissolved.
2. Remove from heat and stir in the corn-starch mix. Return to the stove and simmer for a further 3 minutes.
3. Remove the vanilla stick and pour mixture in a tray so that the liquid is about 3/4 inch deep.
4. Leave to cool and cut in to 3/4 inch square cubes.
5. Grate coconut flesh and add a pinch of salt. Roll cubes through the coconut and serve.
Ghotaab - Iran
Ingredients
2 medium eggs
100 grams yoghurt
100 grams cooking oil
150 grams flour
one tsp baking powder
250 grams almonds
150 grams fine Caster sugar
1 tbsp cardamom powder
Directions
1. Separate egg-yolks and mix well with baking powder, cooking oil and yogurt.
2. Add flour gradually while stirring the mix. Pour the dough in a plastic bag and leave for 1-2 hours.
3. Peel and ground almonds. Mix well with sugar and cardamom powder.
4. Spread some flour on a table-top. Make orange-sized balls from the dough. Flatten the ball on the table-top to a thickness of 0.5 cm using a roller.
5. Cut circles into the dough with a pastry cutter.
6. Place some of the almond-sugar mix at the center of each circle. Bring the edges of the circle together and press to close completely.
7. Fry in pre-heated oil until colour changes. Drain the excess oil, then roll in fine sugar. Serves 4.
Lokum - Turkey (Turkish Delight)
Ingredients
4 cups Granulated sugar
4 1/2 cups Water
1 tsp Lemon juice
1 cup Cornflour
1 tsp Cream of tartar
1 tbsp Rose water (may be doubled)
Red food coloring
1/2 cup Chopped, toasted almonds
3/4 cups Confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup Cornflour
icing sugar
Directions
1. Combine sugar, 1 1/2 cups water and lemon juice in a thick-based pan. Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves, brushing sugar crystals off side of pan with bristle brush dipped in cold water.
2. Bring to the boil and boil to soft ball stage 115 C (240 F) on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat.
3. In another thick-based pan blend cornflour, cream of tartar and 1 cup cold water until smooth. Boil remaining 2 cups water and stir into cornflour mixture, then place over low heat. Stir constantly until mixture thickens and bubbles. Use a balloon whisk if lumps form.
4. Pour hot syrup gradually into cornflour mixture, stirring constantly. Bring to the boil and simmer gently for 1 1/4 hours. Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon and cook until mixture is a pale golden colour. Stirring is essential.
5. Stir in rose water to taste and a few drops of red food colouring to tinge it pale pink. Blend in nuts if used, and remove from heat.
6. Pour into an oiled 23 cm (9 inch) square cake tin and leave for 12 hours to set.
7. Combine confectioners' sugar and the 1/4 cup cornflour in a flat dish.
8. Cut Turkish Delight into squares with an oiled knife and toss in icing-sugar mixture. Store in a sealed container with remaining sugar mixture sprinkled between layers.
9. Makes about 1 kg of Lokum. For Orange Lokum: Use 1-2 tbsp orange flower water instead of rose water; use orange food colouring. For Vanilla Lokum: Use 2 tsp vanilla essence instead of rose water and colouring, stir in 1/2 cup toasted chopped almonds or chopped walnuts.
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